@Ni***

thanks for that information. Like you say, it's flying in you run the risk of questions. I wonder if your prior 17 years worked against you as well, I have heard of them being difficult when someone who DID live here comes back on tourist entries.

It is concerning that you were grilled the second time and I do think it makes sense in this circumstance to do the border runs by land rather than by air.

I am a member of the other visa group, I have a long term visa now and don't need to deal with border runs any more (long term visas also have issues, just different ones). Just interested in what's happening.

@Da***

OK, so left November having spent over 5 months, came back February- that's only 2 months later, and a 30 day would have put you over 6 months in the last 365 days, which from both anecdotal reports and the MFA website is the magic number, over 6 months in a year is where they flag you. And as suspected, this happened when you came back at an airport- I bet you would have been able to return by a Laos land border without issues.

For sure there are limits, but I think the magic number here is 6 months, and you went over that. I think 5 months/year is still possible. I wouldn't say that to someone asking about >6 months, I think that is where the problems start and you need another visa.

@Da***

were you doing this while keeping your total stay in Thailand under six months? There's a difference between coming here for 5 months a year and staying out the other 7 and doing this continually to live here, for sure the latter won't work any more but I was not aware it was impossible as long as you stay out of Thailand more than in. I know people who come here every year and stay longer than 3 months, but less than 6.

@Ni***

where specifically were you told this? This plan involves a flight in, extensions and a land border bounce. This land border bounce would want to be at a known good border, like the border with Laos, not somewhere like Poipet which is known to be difficult.

I haven't heard of the Laos border (or the Myanmar one when it was open) rejecting people. I also haven't heard of people being rejected for tourist extensions in most provinces. You presumably wouldn't have been told this on first arrival, so that leaves, you were told this at the airport when you came back, having been out of the country for at least 7 months?

It's true if you are using tourist visas a lot, you need to consider things like which land border and which airports are most difficult. But general impression I got was they are stopping mostly people who are staying OVER 6 months here on tourist visas, not 5 months over the winter. I know other people who do this and then leave and don't come back until the next year and no problems yet.

Any detailed feedback is useful as this stuff all varies by the specific border post, immigration office, etc.

@Gre***

thanks for that, so sounds like it is still possible to get the 7 days, just few people apply for it.

More important bit is that she may not get the VOA in the first place with her 17 day ticket out, that she would need some sort of onward ticket within the 15 days to get that.

If she gets in, sounds like she can get the non-extension for 7 days, applying within the last 7, with proof she's going to leave within a week (which she already has).

@Gregor *********

when did this change? It used be possible. Not saying you are wrong, I know this stuff changes regularly.

6-visa-on-arrivals-extension/

Note if you do try the 7 day extension refused, it starts from the day you are refused, it's not added on the end. So if you did try this, you need to do it within 7 days of the time you actually plan to exit, you can't do it early.

@Vi***

Laos/Myanmar border posts will reject if you have 2 land entries already (unless you have a visa). They will let you in otherwise. The 2 visa exempt land entries per year is a real published rule and they do enforce that. It's just that that is the only thing they consider, they don't look through your history like the airports do.

@Viola *******

that specific border crossing is well known to be difficult. That's Poipet/Aranyaprathet, not land borders in general. I haven't heard reports of the Laos border, or Myanmar when it was open, refusing people.

@Nick ******

what does reset on 1st Jan is the land border bounce count. Also, while immigration at the airport gave her a lecture about doing border bounces, that doesn't mean she won't be able to do them, many land borders just go by that rule and don't consider passport history. It's the airport that looks at that. The airport will see it though the next time, which could cause more problems.